PSV Eindhoven captain Luuk de Jong claims “revenge” was a key motivator in his side’s Champions League humbling of Rangers.
Everyone attached to the Ibrox club is licking their wounds this morning after a devastating 5-1 defeat in Eindhoven which ensured a 7-3 aggregate loss.
The hammering ensures that Rangers have dropped to the Europa League whilst PSV will be in the Champions League and Luuk de Jong could not be happier.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the victory over Rangers – where the striker scored in both legs – the ex-Barcelona man also spoke about getting revenge on the Ibrox side.
This comes after Rangers edged a considerably closer Champions League Playoff between the side’s last season, a 1-0 win in the Netherlands ensuring progress after a 2-2 draw in Glasgow.
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Luuk de Jong: revenge a motivator v Rangers
“I’m feeling really well, reaching the Champions League group stage is the big goal we were aiming for this season,” Luuk de Jong said.
“We knew what happened last year and that was still in our heads.
“When we drew 2-2 again we thought ‘ah no, it’s going to happen again’.
“So we’re really happy we dominated today and gave the fans and the whole club a good result in the end.
“It’s the same draw, we play the same team again, these memories come back and there’s a little bit of a feeling of revenge of course.
“But it’s been five years for the club since we played Champions League so the feeling afterwards, the fans and the whole club, they really wanted it.”
When asked if he anticipated such a substantial margin between the sides, Luuk de Jong replied:
”When it came back to 2-1 you felt a little bit the tension, like it’s not going to happen again then they will come back.
“I think 3-1 was a really important goal the little hope that Rangers had was gone and at that point you see their motivation is gone and we kept going to 4 and 5-1.”
Rangers will now go into the Europa League draw this Friday, with the club needing some help to avoid a potential horror draw in pot one.